


Youth

by GentleTouchGinger, Greet



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Fantasy AU, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Les Misérables References, Magic, Medical Trauma, Mental Instability, Multi, Rebellion, Torture, co-authors, dark themes, fairy tail - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-04-15 08:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4599870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GentleTouchGinger/pseuds/GentleTouchGinger, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greet/pseuds/Greet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where magic is illegal, Lucy Hearfilia runs away to join a guild, so she can care for the celestial spirit keys left to her by her late mother. She is soon thrown into a world darker than anything she’d imagined, but makes bonds worth dying for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. If You're Still Breathing

Youth  
Chapter One

Two figures raced through the alleyway. One a blonde girl, and the other a filthy, dark haired man. As the girl ran, several golden and silver keys jangled on her belt, the metallic sound ringing through the drum of pounding footsteps and strained, deep breaths. 

“Please!” the girl screamed. Her magic energy was gone, and her side twinged sharply with a bad cramp. Her legs felt like wet clay. She couldn’t keep running much longer. 

“You know what they’ll do to me!” she cried, skidding to a halt as the alleyway came to dead end. She spun around to face the man bolting after her. “You know what they do to mages!” 

“I know how much they pay for ‘em!” he called, just a few strides away from grabbing her. In a panic, Lucy jumped up in an attempt to climb up one of the buildings. The stone was freezing and rough, but she managed to get her fingertips wedged into a crack. As she pulled herself up, resting her foot awkwardly in a narrow ledge, he caught up with her. He grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled. 

Lucy toppled to the ground, landing on her back with a thud. Pain shot through her body, and she lay stunned for a moment, unable to breathe. Tears of pain and shock welled in her eyes.

Just as she began to move, the man clipped her wrists into handcuffs. He smiled as he flipped her onto her stomach in one cruel motion, and pinned her to the ground like a bug. Lucy let out an enraged shout, squirming with all her might to break free. He just laughed, pressing her face into a filthy puddle of water. Mud filled her (unfortunately) open mouth, and she gagged. She managed to tear her head free and spat the filth out of her mouth, but before she could take a breath, her face was shoved into the puddle again. She fought fiercely, her lungs burning for air. Just when she was sure she was about to pass out, he released her. She gasped in a much needed breath, then began to spit stray mud out of her mouth. 

The man yanked her to her feet, and she yelped in surprise. 

“Now, you can come nicely,” he warned. “Or you can pull more shenanigans. You’ll hang either way.”  
A thick fog of dread began to form in Lucy’s gut at the thought. Horrific images of her body lying limp and discolored from a noose flashed through her mind. She whimpered softly, her eyes burning with tears. She merely nodded. She couldn’t show weakness now.

He grunted in response, and then shoved her forward. Mud covered her face, and she was sure she’d be almost unrecognizable. That was good, she thought. No one from the house has to know what’s happened. The thought of Spetto, or Aed seeing her like this made her insides squirm. 

She knew they were headed to the prisons. And with a sudden avalanche of dread, she realized that she would be interrogated there. She was about to experience more pain than she’d felt in her entire life. The urge to fight boiled in her chest, but she knew it was worthless. 

And so, with fear dominating her every thought and action, Lucy Heartfilia let herself be led to her grave.

\---

Her scraped her knees and palms as she was roughly thrown onto the cobblestone flooring of a dingy cellar. The royal guard, a scruffy man with salt-pepper hair and the traditional guard’s uniform, stepped forward and hoisted the blonde’s wrists over her head. Lucy thrashed, but her depleted strength stood no match against the large man’s grasp.

Her arms were chained above her head. After the guard made sure they were secure, he promptly left, slamming the heavy steel door with little grace.

Tears burned in her eyes. Goosebumps tickled over her bare arms and shins. Her stomach twisted in disgust. The cellar was filthy, the freezing and rough stones on the walls caked with dirt and grime. 

The frigid, rusted shackles keeping her hands up over her head creaked when she jerked against them. She thrashed for a few minutes until she slumped in exhaustion, her wrists starting to ache. The tears flowed freely, and the sounds of her gentle sobbing echoed off the cellar walls.

“Shut up in there!” a gruff voice cried through the heavy door. “Quit yer cryin’.” 

Lucy sniffed noisily, struggling to stifle her sobs. She could remember when she felt this alone, but instead of a cold, wet dungeon, she was in a comfy, heated mansion where there were servants to wait on her hand and foot. And even with all those servants and toys, Lucy was alone. She was alone at home, and she was alone now. At least at home, she had a warm bed and decent meals. 

She pictured herself getting a tray of stale bread-crumbs and a poor glass of lumpy milk. Her stomach churned even at the thought. Lucy’s stomach then growled, desperately crying for something more than just a few bread crumbs. 

 

A sharp, rasping cough brought Lucy from her thoughts. The sound was curt, any echo fading away. That was weird, she thought, looking around at the darkened cellar.

“Hello?” Lucy whispered. Her faint echo was all that answered her. A slight pout formed on her lips at the lack of reply. Perhaps she had imagined it.

With defeat, Lucy slumped against the wall. Her arms began to feel numb and tingly, not to mention her face: a hot and sticky mess, tears mixing with mud. Lucy pulled at her arms in frustration. 

Her actions stopped short when she heard it again. The person, whoever it was, now had fallen into a rather violent coughing fit. They sounded wet and strained. Lucy couldn’t help but to grimace at the sound. It made her stomach twist in a nauseated knot. 

She decided to try again. “Hello? Are you alright?” Her voice was soft and weak, much more so than she thought it would be. “Hello?”

The coughing seized suddenly and Lucy could now hear soft, yet labored breathing. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sound. The silence made her want to squirm. 

“It’s polite to answer people,” Lucy said, bitter. “Or at least announce your presence!” 

Lucy had to squint, but she saw something shift in the close darkness. She tried to move closer to it, but the chains attached to her wrists had little to no slack.  
Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of stern, but fearful onyx orbs. The blonde squirmed as their intense gaze bore into her own.

“I…” She began to stammer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you, but…” she paused pensively. “You don’t have to be afraid. We’re in the same boat here.”

She could now make out a dark, hunched figure creeping a bit closer. She uneasily smiled while her stomach did backflips. 

The figure was male, this she could now tell. His face came into the small sliver of light the setting sun had to offer through the tiny barred window above their heads. Lucy’s smile relaxed.

He was younger than she was expecting, but his eyes were darker than anything she’d ever seen. His snowy pale face was bruised and a large gash on his forehead was hidden by his messy raven bangs.

“What’s your name?” She finally managed to pipe. 

“...” The boy stayed silent. 

Lucy felt let down, her gaze finally breaking away from his eyes. She skipped over his bare chest, which to her surprise was nicely toned. Lucy turned her focus on the metal, mitten-like covers on his hands. 

“What are those?” Lucy tried again, craning her neck to try and get a better look as he shyly stowed his bound hands away under his knees. “You’re a mage, aren’t you?”

His head perked up, and Lucy’s heart raced with slight triumph. “I am too. I use celestial keys! My name is Lucy. Lucy Hear-” Her voice wavered. She paused for a few moments.

“I’m Lucy. Just Lucy,” she declared.

She anxiously awaited an answer, staring at the pale boy’s face. He squirmed, averting his gaze to look everywhere but at her.

“Gray. Just Gray.”


	2. You're the Lucky Ones

You're the Lucky Ones

“You’re going to tell me something that makes you worth my time.” 

The guard’s eyes were wide with fear as he looked up at the woman who’d been questioning him for the last several hours. She was ruthless. Blood oozed down his back, and his body ached from her blows. But he had a family to worry about, not to mention his country! What would she do with the information he gave her?

He’d rather die than betray his oath, and more importantly, his kingdom. 

So he turned away from her, gritting his teeth in anticipation of her next blow. Instead of smacking him again, the woman lifted him off the ground. He dangled in midair, struggling to free himself. 

“Listen. Mages were hurt capturing you.” Her scarlet hair fell in gorgeous waves, but her expression was fierce and merciless. Her beauty masked the brutality of her personality. “My friends were hurt capturing you. I need you to tell me something, anything to make their suffering worthwhile. I don’t care what it is. A floor plan, a list of names…” 

He stared at her. His first instinct was to refuse, and to curse her and all she stood for. But that’s what he’d been doing this entire time. There was no way she’d be able to bring down the kingdom with just a floor plan. 

What could he tell her? 

And then, in another instant, he knew. 

“Alright, alright. Put me down,” he snapped. The woman eyed him suspiciously, but after a moment of deep thought, she dropped him. He fell to the stone floor with a thump, and a wave of fresh pain.

“There’s a mage,” he gasped, clenching his hand into a fist to try and get a handle on the agony. “We’ve been keeping him for years. All the others we just kill...ah, don’t look at me like that!” The woman’s face had erupted in rage, though she hadn’t made a move to harm him. 

He calmed and continued. “All the others we just kill, but for some reason, we keep this guy alive.”

“Why?” she asked, kneeling down in front of him. He flinched away from her, half out of fear, and half out of disgust. She seemed not to care or notice. 

“I dunno! They think he knows something, I guess. Records say he’s an ice mage.” 

She stood up, staring down at him. “And you assure me this is true?” she snapped. 

“Yes! It’s all true!” he replied, lifting his arms up to shield his face. “Just please….let me go. My daughter; she’s only six.”

“What prison?” she asked, not answering his question. 

“Rumiere,” he replied. “On Tulip Street.”

“Erza? We’re going to need more healers, Mirajane went to see if Blue Pegasus would help out.” A boy with rose colored hair entered the room. He frowned at the darkness, then lifted his hand. A flame appeared, glowing brightly in his palm as it flickered. The guard flinched away in horror. Demons, that’s what they were. Demons.

“Natsu, do you know an ice mage?” The woman had turned to face the newcomer. “I know Lamia Scale’s got one.”

“Well…” Natsu muttered, scratching the back of his head. “When I was a kid, I knew one. But that was years ago…” 

Erza turned to face the prisoner. “Describe what he looks like,” she snapped. 

“D-dark hair,” he said instantly. “Uh...sort of tall? Real skinny nowadays. And dark eyes, too. I don’t know his name, I’m sorry.” 

Natsu stepped up to the guard, his eyes wide with horror. “How long has he been a captive?” 

“Years,” the guard replied. “Nearly a decade by now.” 

“Shit...Erza, I think that’s him. The guy I knew. We’ve got to go and get him. Please, I’ll lead the mission,” he begged, turning to face her. “We can’t leave a mage in trouble like that.”

Erza looked over at Natsu, contemplating the idea. 

“It’ll be risky,” she warned. “And we might have to blow a few covers…” 

“You know what they do to mages, Erza,” Natsu replied, the flame in his palm growing larger as his temper flared. “We can’t just leave him.” 

“You’re right,” she agreed with a sigh. “It’ll be just you and me, though.” She turned to the prisoner. “Get the gear. I’ll take care of him.” 

\----  
Lucy was ecstatic when her cellar-mate finally spoke. Gray. A nice name, she expressed, in which he ignored. 

At some point, Lucy began to indulge on her story. She started to get choked up as she told him how she was captured. Her lungs burned in remembrance as she thought back to her face being shoved in a muddy puddle, her eyes burning with tears as she had resigned to her inevitable death. 

Lucy shuddered at the memory. She opened her mouth to speak, but first spared a look at Gray. He wasn’t even looking at her, tapping his metal mitten on his bare knee. He couldn’t have looked less interested. With that, Lucy puffed. 

“Were you listening?” she asked eagerly. “Sorry, you might not be the talking sort, but I’ve got to talk about it.”

“Talk all you want,” he mumbled. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

Lucy’s pout fell and her face went slack. He couldn’t have sounded more depressed. She had a hard time understanding him. Lucy could tell he had been there a long time. Any normal person would be beyond happy to know they weren’t alone; had some kind of company. Lucy certainly was.

He barely managed to look at her half the time and it set Lucy’s teeth on edge. To Lucy, Gray had the amount of personality as a piece of driftwood.

She finally sighed in defeat before turning her gaze to him. “Why won’t you talk to me? We’re stuck in this cellar for who knows how long, after all.”

The blonde looked at Gray. Her eyes widened as he opened his mouth to talk, as if he was choosing his words very carefully. 

“I don’t want to get attached.” 

“Attached?” She mimed. “Why?” She stared at him, dumbfounded. 

Gray went quiet. She hated when he did that. 

The two sat in the cold, wet cellar for what felt like hours. Lucy’s goosebumps refused to go away, and with that she started to shiver. She stared up at the grimy, stone walls. The cellar was tall, but thin, the stones piling up until the met at the top where a barred window was on the ceiling. She could tell at least a few hours had past, as the sun had set and the moon’s iridescent, silver light shone through the bars.

Lucy couldn’t take the suspense or the silence anymore. She had to know what was going to happen to her, and she knew he had a pretty good idea. She looked over at him, trying to keep her gaze on his face and not on his chains, or the mitts covering his hands. 

“How bad will it hurt?” 

At the question, Gray seemed to perk up. He turned to face her, his expression still cold, but she could see something stirring in his eyes.

“Hmm?” he grunted in a questioning tone, but Lucy knew he understood what she’d meant. 

“When they interrogate me,” she clarified. “How bad will it hurt? What exactly are they going to do to me?” 

He was silent again, his gaze shifting to the floor. He sighed lightly. 

“Do you really want me to answer that question?” he asked in a weary tone. 

“The anticipation’s the worst part,” she replied, pulling her knees up to her chest. “You can spare me that.” 

“It’s going to hurt like hell,” he said bitterly. “Worse than anything you’ve felt before. But if you can get through that, I imagine dying isn’t so bad. The gallows are a lot quicker than the stake.” 

She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. “It’s the gallows for me? Are you sure?” 

“Unless you really piss them off, it’s a safe bet,” he replied.

She exhaled slowly, opening her eyes and looking over at him. “Well, that’s not so bad,” she said in a soft voice. She had to be calm about this. But she couldn’t be calm, not with her heart banging against her chest, and the urge to vomit rising in her gut. She was terrified, but she couldn’t admit it.

The door to the cellar was pushed open forcefully. Lucy tensed, her heart continuing to hammer against her ribcage. Her eyes prickled with tears as she could practically feel the burning acid creep up her throat. Frantic, she glanced to Gray as a guard stepped in. 

He looked just as terrified as she was, but instead he stowed his head away under scarred and bloodied arms. She could see his dim outline quivering as the guard started to walk toward them.

It was the same man that threw her in the cellar, a scruffy grey beard adorned his large, blocky face. Instead of heading towards the cowering male, he marched straight to Lucy. 

Terror rippled through her chest. The chains clattered as her arms shook. She could feel the guard’s hot breath skimming her skin as he knelt down in front of her. Lucy whimpered and she turned her face away.

Lucy was scared rigid. Gray’s words rang and stung in her head. Her skull felt like it was going to explode. She braced herself for the pain she knew was to come. She thought of the terror in Gray’s eyes, the bruises, burns, and various other types of injures that disfigured his arms, legs, and chest. 

She imagined herself curled up in the darkest part of the cellar, shaking as blood dripped down onto the floor. A sob caught in her throat as she pushed the thought from her mind. No, she thought sadly. I’d be dead- hung before they got that far, Gray had said. 

“Time to go, missy,” the light-skinned guard hissed teasingly as he unshackled her arms, letting her arms fall to her side.

As the blood rushed painfully back to her fingertips, Lucy let out a sigh of relief. But her relief was short lived as she was shoved onto her stomach and her hands were locked in a pair of bronze cuffs behind her back. The guard hoisted her up, throwing her over his shoulder like she was nothing but a burlap sack of grain.

She couldn’t stop the new bout of silent tears as she could do nothing but watch Gray’s frigid expression as the guard took her from the cell. Her mind and heart were racing. The heavy door shut behind the two, and Lucy could no longer see Gray. 

How could this have happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! Please leave kudos and comments! Thank you~


	3. Heaving through Corrupted Lungs

 

Ice mages weren’t supposed to feel cold, but that’s all he could feel anymore. Cold.

He looked idly at the walls around him, then at his metal mitts. One, Two, Three, Four. Four metal bolts around the metal band on his wrists. The metal was cold too, he noted, but that he had gotten used to.

Isolation, too, he had grown accustomed to. Each new face he met came with heartbreak. Soon, that little sliver of hope he’d get would vanish and dread would stir in his gut. The blonde girl, Lucy, was no different.

Lucy. She had come into his life and would be out of it just as fast.

It was a sadistic ritual they’d put him through for...years. How long he had spent in this prison, he wasn’t sure. But nothing else held the title for home. The only glimpse of the word home he could muster was rubble and screams. The scent of blood and smoke would sting at his nostrils. That wasn’t what home meant, was it?

At times during the thick silence, Gray would throw one of his fits. He grunted with frustration, slamming his covered hands against the wall and ground. He frantically tugged at his chains, his unhealthily skinny arms shaking from the effort. He kicked and shouted, and cried until he couldn’t anymore. His wrists were now bloodied from re-opened wounds. He puffed and slumped against the cold, unforgiving stonewall. Although he had screamed his throat raw and brought intense waves of pain back over healing injuries, a weight was lifted from his shoulders. He instantly felt better.

Gray had to throw the fits. He had to let out those screams or he would’ve gone completely mad a long time ago. They were what was allowing him to keep his grip on the small shred sanity he had left.

His eyelids started to grow heavy, and fear spiked in his chest. The land of his dreams wasn’t much better than the reality. Sleep always brought on new terror- a new reason to jump at every noise.

No matter how much he fought, sleep would end up claiming him as its own. As he heard faint screams echoing into the cellar from the hall, Gray started to slip off.

 

* * *

“I’m not in a guild,” Lucy whimpered, raising her arms to protect her face. “I s-swear...I’m not.”

They’d been at it for hours. Everything hurt, and Lucy’s resolve was shattered. She just wanted to go home, she didn’t want him to hurt her anymore.

The door opened. Lucy flinched at the sudden movement, scrambling backwards. She raised her arms to shield her face. She recognized the guard that had brought her here, but didn’t relax. There was no guarantee the session was over yet.

“How’s it going?” the guard asked.

“She doesn’t know a damn thing,” the interrogator sighed. “Started rambling on about how she ran away from home.”

“You’re sure it’s not an act?”

“Positive. I’ve never seen a mage cry as much as she did,” the interrogator sneered. “She would’ve sold her friends out in an instant.”

Lucy hung her head in shame, staring at the floor. Her whole body ached. She wished his words weren’t true. She didn’t deserve to be the keeper of her mother’s spirits. She feared for them, but knew they’d be safe in the Celestial World, no matter what happened to their keys. It was more than she could say for herself.

“Take her back,” the interrogator spat. “And hang her at dawn.”

The guard nodded, heading over to Lucy. He bent down and picked her up off the ground, slinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Fresh pain swept through her, and she let out a strangled cry, tears gushing down her cheeks uncontrollably. The guard ignored her, carrying her down the hallway. She struggled to suppress her sobs, hot shame surging inside of her. She was pathetic.

* * *

 

He could do nothing but stare. The girl was balled up in front of him, bloodied and brutally beaten. His intake of breath faltered as he realized how little the sight upset him. Person after person, he saw them cry. He saw them bleed. He saw them die. She was no different.

 _You're the lucky ones_ , he thought with sere bitterness. The pain was short, sweet. The death even more so.

His demise would never rear its dark, cloaked head. Death would tease him. Its bony fingers merely grazed his cheek.

Yes, she would be in horrible pain, but she would be released from it in less than a day. Her suffering would be short.

"Lucy," Gray spoke after several minutes of silence between the two. The name sounded crisp on his tongue, vibrant.

Lucy looked up at Gray, her eyes flooded with fat, glossy tears. Her cheeks were red and sticky with tears and dried blood. She said nothing.

The two prisoners sat in their cell. A pregnant silence bore down on their shoulders.

“You’re bleeding,” Lucy finally said, raising a hand to wipe tears and blood off her cheeks. “Did they…” Her throat caught, and she swallowed. “Did they hurt you, too?”

He stiffened, and his shoulders hunched over. “No,” he answered, breaking his gaze from Lucy’s. He prodded at his side, and his fingers came back sticky and red. “Oh.”

“Here,” she said, reaching to put pressure on his wound. “You must’ve reopened it by accident or something.”

Gray panicked at the gesture, and he made quick to slap her bloodied hand away. He drew his knees closer to his chest and turned away from her, like a feral cat. The dark, cowering figure shook horribly.

Lucy backed away in shock. “I didn’t mean...I wasn’t going to hurt you,” she insisted. “I just wanted to help, I’m sorry.” She began to work her way to the wall. Every movement was agony, but she didn’t let the pain show on her face.

A bitter laugh escaped the raven’s chapped, slightly parted lips. “Lies.. L-Lies,” he gasped out. He rested his cool, bruised forehead on top of his bony  knees. “No one,” he whispered softly.

“I’m not lying,” she said, stopping in her efforts and looking straight at him. “I’m dead already, Gray. Why would I try to hurt the person I’m spending my last hours with? The...the first mage I’ve ever met.” Besides her mother, of course, but Lucy didn’t want to say that.

His head lifted. Still downcast, his solid onyx eyes became blurry with tears. “I’m t’red,” he said. “So tired of this s-shit!”

Lucy shuffled so her back pressed against the cold stone wall. “I know,” she said softly. “I don’t know how you’ve remained strong. I’m sorry I have to leave you alone here.”

“I’m used to being alone.”

* * *

 

The guard fell with a single hit. Blood gushed from the wound, and in her gut, Erza knew he would not wake. Yet she felt nothing, no remorse or regret. She continued down the hallway, following Natsu as he blazed through the prison. He shot fire at anyway he came across. So much for the sneak-in, sneak-out plan.

It was Natsu’s mission, though. What had she expected?

“Stop punching and running!” Erza roared as she kicked down another guard who’d bounced up despite the fire. “You’re just leaving them for me!”

“Sorry!” Natsu called, but he continued to punch the guards with his flaming fist and run. Erza would strangle him when this was over.

After a good bit of running, they reached the cells. Dozens of footsteps pounded behind them, and Erza knew all a full legion of guards had been summoned to the source of the commotion.

Considering they didn’t have a clue where Gray was, Erza spared one guard instead of slashing his throat or rendering him unconscious. She yelled for Natsu to stop, then pinned him against the wall.

“The ice mage, where are you keeping him?!” she roared.

“I don’t know!”

She unsheathed her sword, and the guard’s memory came back to him. Block C, cell 15.

Erza threw the guard to the ground and raced after Natsu.

The prisoners pressed against the cell doors. Thieves, murderers, and the like stretched their hands out desperately.

“Help me, just unlock the door!”

“Don’t leave!”

“I’m innocent!”

“I have children, please!”

Natsu looked back at Erza, his brows furrowed in discontent. Erza shook her head. If they stopped for all of them, they’d never get to Gray before the guards caught up. And even if they just released one, they’d be written off as helpers of petty criminals. They were on a mission, a time-sensitive mission.

So they kept their heads down, and ignored the pleading screams of the condemned.

Finally they reached the end of the Block.They rushed down a flight of stairs, and down a long corridor. Block C was much quieter. Erza assumed it was where the mages and other enemies of the state were kept.

Cell 9...Cell 11...Cell 13…

Erza skidded to a halt in front of Cell 15. Natsu panted for breath, his face flushed with excitement.

**“We’re here,” she breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late! Greet and I (Ginger here) have loads of schoolwork that falls on us at different times! We'll try to update more regularly in the future!
> 
> also here is a sneak peek at the next chapter courtesy of Greet
> 
> Gray: AHudhauihfuwehufiej i’m crazy notice me  
> Lucy: Ew, no. I’m bleeding here.  
> Natsu + Erza: WOO WE’RE HERE TO SAVE YOU  
> Lucy: Finally!  
> Erza: Oh, not you. We came for the ice guy.  
> Lucy: …  
> Gray: PFft. hah!


	4. Setting Fire to Our Insides

Chapter 4  
Setting Fire to Our Insides

“Someone’s coming,” the blonde spoke slowly. Her voice sounded like honey when she first came to his cell, but now it dripped with the churning of rusted gears. She spoke of the noise with dread, and he didn’t blame her. They had to have been coming for her. And he was going to be alone again.

The commotion above him only intensified. The darkness was angry. It was angry at him. He could feel its harsh claws gripping at his shoulders, paralyzing him so he couldn’t cower away.

There was nothing he could do anymore for her. He could already hear the crack of her neck as they hung the harsh, burlap rope around her neck, or perhaps they would do it with stones. Either way, he would be destined to watch her demise, eyes held open against his will. The darkness held him in front of that small barred window where he could watch her die; watch the savages throwing those stones.

Pity. He felt drawn to her. That crinkled sundress that adorned her figure reminded him of a woman distant in his mind, her dark hair stowed into knot with a warm smile. She looked him in the eye. She offered him a foreign sense of warmth he couldn’t explain. The darkness told him to fear it, but he didn’t want to. But no matter how hard he fought, the being took a hold of him, and he knew Lucy was just a doomed as everyone else he had met in the past decade. She wouldn’t make it past morning. It was only a matter of time until the blanket of velvety black would surround her, and she’d be free of his hell. 

“We’re here.”

 

It was a whisper, barely audible. His figure curled, and he tensed. The wisp of voice sounded like no guard. It was a girl, voice feminine but authoritative. Was it in his mind?

“Natsu, burn off the lock.”

With a burst of courage, he looked up to the small barred window at the cell door. He caught a glimpse of red and he naturally wanted to lurch away. Blood. All he knew was blood, black, and the odd ashen tone he would recognize as his skin. 

He was quick to tuck his head between his knees. No more blood. No more blood, he begged as the horrible noise of the cellar door creaking open rang in his ears. 

A boy with rose-colored hair rushed into the cell, followed by an armored woman with cascading scarlet hair. The boy looked down at Lucy, then over to Gray. He beamed when he saw the latter, running to kneel besides Gray. “Hey, it’s him!” 

Gray yelled in shock, flinching away and raising his arms to protect his face. The boy frowned and grabbed Gray’s wrist, but Gray yelled again and tried to shake him off. 

The other girl didn’t even look at Lucy as she rushed to help her partner. Lucy stared down at the floor. They weren’t here to help her...just Gray. She was happy, he deserved to finally leave this hell, but she would die if they left her here. Who even were they? 

“No, no! Don’t take me!” Gray yelled, turning away from the two. 

“Dammit, Natsu, just melt the chains and grab him.” The woman still hadn’t looked at Lucy. She was pacing in front of the two, anxiously gripping her sword.

“Who are you?” Lucy muttered, looking up at them. “You’re helping him…” 

“He’s a mage,” the woman replied, watching as the boy melted Gray’s chains into scalding liquid. Lucy’s eyes widened. How was that possible? 

“I’m a mage,” Lucy finally said after a moment of awe. “I am, they’re going to kill me…” 

 

“Mmm hmm, sure. What guild?” the woman asked casually, scooping up Gray. He continued to struggle, yelling about darkness and death.

“I’m not in a guild, but I...I want to be!” Lucy insisted. “They’re going to execute me, they tortured me.” 

 

“Natsu, we need to go.” The woman stood in the doorframe, while Natsu stared down at Lucy. Lucy stared back up at him, pushing herself up to her knees. They were her last hope. Mages, from a guild...just seeing them, talking to them made this worth it. People like her.

“We can’t leave her, Erza,” he said, kneeling to help Lucy to her feet. “She’s not some thief, she’s a mage.” 

Erza huffed in irritation. “She’s probably lying. We need to run. I said we could get Gray, we aren’t in the business of saving every damsel in distress. This is war.” 

“I’m not leaving her,” he snapped. “Go, get Gray out of here. We’ll find another way out.”

“You ash-brained idiot!” she roared. “We’ll barely be able to get Gray out of here! The guards are coming!” 

Natsu slipped an arm underneath Lucy’s shoulders and lifted her up. She yelped in pain and surprise. He ignored Erza, and continued to support Lucy as she stood on shaking legs. 

“Can you walk?” he muttered. “I’m Natsu, ignore her, she’s a grump.” 

Lucy shook her head. “My feet, they m-made me walk on glass.” Even standing was painful. Blood seeped from her soles and onto the cold stone. 

He frowned. “Damn, I’m sorry...okay. Uh, piggy-back?” 

“Yes, thank you-” 

“Hurry it up!” Erza spat. 

Gray, still trapped in the armored woman’s arms, flailed and continued his cries of fear and plead.

“Put me down,” he sobbed, pushing against her chest with both arms. He was already exhausted from the struggle, but his body was as useful as a sere leaf.

He could already see the beatings ahead. He flinched in terror, giving up his efforts at freedom. The woman’s hold was too tight. 

“Gray,” she spoke.

How did she know his name?

“We aren’t going to hurt you. We’re taking you out of this place. We’ve come all this way to save you,” she comforted. 

A sob caught in his throat. The woman’s blood-red hair began to fade as a terrifyingly familiar black fog clouded his vision. His frustrated jerks seized and succumbed to the fog’s whispering. ‘Lies,’ they told him. 

The fog thickened. His mind continued to spiral. Sobs were trapped in his throat, seemingly strangled by a wisp of fog. A new bout of tears came as his abusings ached. The darkness around him continued to daunt and seduce him. There’s no point in lying when you already know the truth, Gray, it whispered. 

“No,” he whimpered, gaining his voice back. Slowly, feeling returned to his fingers and toes, and he could make slight glimpses of red through the disintegrating fog. A sense of blissful relief fell short. He saw the woman carrying him, and panic set in again.

“I promise you,” Erza assured, looking down at the withered man she held. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

“You’re lyin’!” He finally screamed, though his voice came up merely a strained whisper. “The dark- You’re lying! It’ll g-get me again. It’ll get all of you. We’re all dead. Dead, dead, dead.” 

“No one’s going to die,” Erza assured. “Natsu, hurry it up!” 

“Coming,” Natsu huffed, rushing to the door with Lucy on his back. 

“They aren’t guards,” Lucy called to Gray. “Calm down. Can’t you see? They aren’t here to hurt us.”

Gray whipped his gaze from Lucy back to the woman holding him. His body visibly relaxed, and his rant seized. 

“Good,” Erza breathed, holding him tighter.

The fog was gone. His breath came in rattling gasps. He could feel light– freedom– brushing against his fingertips. 

The four reached a dead end, and Erza wanted to scream. 

“Natsu, blast a hole in it!” She yelled. “The guards will be here any minute!” 

“But-” 

“Do it!” 

Natsu raised his fist, careful not to drop Lucy. He charged and punched the wall, fire exploding from his fist. There was a blast. Dust coated both of them, but there was a nice-sized hole in the wall. Natsu scrambled through it, and Erza followed. 

Lucy looked up at the sky. She leaned her head back to take in the massive, wondrous blue and cotton-ball clouds. She had been dreading the sight, because it should have been one of the last things she’d ever seen. But now she smiled at the sheer magnificence of the clouds. 

 

Natsu looked down at Lucy, dust caked in his thick, rosy locks. He offered her a smile. “We’re almost home-free,” he assured.

Gray hazily stared up at the sky. His eyes burned from the intensity of the light and colors around him. The only blue he ever saw was from a small, barred window tucked in the highest corner of his cell. The baby blue dome encompassed his gaze, and Gray felt an immense pressure lift off his chest. “Sky,” he whispered, lips slightly parted and chapped.

Pain stung at his eyes as he stared up at the dome, partly glared by a bright ball of light. Despite the growing anxiety in his gut, Gray shut his eyes and rested his head against Erza’s chest. He was free, something he only knew to be true in moments of sleep.

“Mmm hmm,” Erza said. “You’ll never be chained up again. You’re coming back to our guild, we’ll fix you up.” 

As the guards poured out onto the grass, the four mages were already at the prison wall. With another blast of flame, the stone wall was destroyed. They crawled through the rubble and sprinted out onto the street. Erza led them down a winding-alleyway, and the guards stopped chasing them at the gate. 

No one wanted to chase a mage down an alley. The dark corners of the city were their home. 

They were home free. 

\---

Four dirty, panting mages came pilot through the guild hall doors. Erza ignored the questioning glances of those in the foyer and rushed over to the infirmary, a large room filled with cots and cabinets. 

She laid Gray down onto a cot with surprising tenderness. She turned to Natsu, who was doing the same with Lucy. 

“Get Wendy,” she insisted. 

Lucy looked around in awe at the infirmary, smiling brilliantly. So this was a guild. 

“Wendy’s exhausted from all the healing from last night!” a white, winged cat argued. She hovered in front of Natsu, paws on her hips. 

“They’re in pain!” Natsu roared back, making the cat flinch. 

“She can’t do it!” 

 

“I can’t do what?” A small, blue-haired girl stood in the doorway. “Oh, oh no! They’re hurt!” She rushed up to the two beds. 

“Wendy! Your magic hasn’t recovered!” the cat said, flying up to her with her arms crossed sternly. 

‘Weird cat,’ Lucy thought. 

“Look at all the blood!” Wendy cried, rushing past the cat and over to Gray’s bedside. “They must be hurting…” 

“It isn’t that bad,” Lucy said. “Treat Gray first, he was in there much longer.” 

“Nearly a decade now,” Natsu sighed, recalling the interrogation with Erza and the guard. “Wendy, if your magic is too worn out…”

“Of course it is too worn out! Give her a break,” the cat pleaded. 

“Okay,” Erza said. “But we need you to help us patch them up.” 

“Of course!” Wendy chirped, running to get medical supplies.

“Gray’s a little…” Lucy struggled to find the right word. “Shaken up. He was in there far too long, I don’t think he understands kindness. It’ll take him a while to realize you’re helping.” 

“What’s your name?” Natsu asked, looking down at Lucy. “You said you’re a mage, right? What kind of magic do you use?”

Lucy’s face turned white. “My keys,” she gasped, sitting up despite the searing pain in her back. “I left them!”

“What? Hold it!” Natsu said, resting a hand on her shoulder and forcing her back down. “What keys?” 

Lucy stared up at him. “I’m a celestial mage, my mother gave me her gate keys. They let me summon spirits to help me in battle, but the guards took them! They’re still at the prison, I have to go back-”

“No,” Natsu snapped. “I’ll go back for them. No way are you going anywhere right now.” 

“But-”

“It’s no problem,” he assured. “I like beating up those bastards, anyway. Slip in, get the keys, slip out. No problem.”

Wendy returned with medical supplies. She set the kit down and started to look at Gray’s injuries. 

Gray mumbled deliriously. His eyes cracked open, peering up at Wendy. 

“Hi there,” Wendy said quietly. “My name’s Wendy, I’m going to fix you up!” 

He jolted in panic. A startled shout passed his lips and he scrambled up in the cot, clutching for the side bars.

Wendy’s face fell. “I’m not here to hurt you!” 

“Gray!” Lucy yelled, looking over at him. “It’s me, it’s Lucy. They saved us from the prison. Remember?” 

He blocked his face with his mutilated forearms. His shoulders trembled as a strangled sound of distressed tore in his throat. “No! Stop!” He snapped.

“I’m sorry!” Wendy yelped, stepping away for him. 

“Gray!” Lucy cried. “Gray, they took you out of the cell!” She moved to get up, but Natsu pushed her back down. He walked over to Gray. 

“Don’t you remember me?” he grumbled, looking down at Gray. “Natsu. We were friends, Gray. No one here is going to hurt you. We risked our lives to save you.” 

Gray’s mangled arms lowered and he stared up at the fire Mage, forehead crinkled. He took a few calming breaths and glanced over to Lucy, the only person he trusted in this room.

“Okay,” he whispered defeatedly. He sat back, still trembling. “Okay.”

Wendy smiled. “Awesome!” she chirped. “Okay, what hurts? Can I take off your shirt, so I can see?” 

Gray’s gaze cast to his lap. His hands shook. “My s-shirt?” He piped.

“Just so I can see,” Wendy explained. “I need to know what to fix.” 

He swallowed a painful lump in his throat and nodded. With jerking hands, he went to lift the hem of his shirt, wincing.

He tried pulling up, but his broken ribs and scarred skin screamed in agony. He took a shaky breath. The adrenaline had died down, and he could feel how broken his body was.

With difficulty, Gray discarded his shirt. He tossed the stained piece of fabric to the the side. He shivered. His entire chest was disturbingly thin, covered in awful, purple and black bruises and several lashes: old and new. His shoulders, once muscled, were now bony and scarred. 

Wendy gasped. “Oh, uh…” she muttered. “Let me clean up those lashes…” She grabbed some disinfectant and a cloth.

He looked down and saw his torso for the first time in months. He prodded at some swollen, purple skin across his abdomen and hips, where some of his deepest lacerations were. 

Each breath he took pained his cracked ribs. He squirmed in discomfort, the pillows on the cot sticking to his bloodied back.

“What else hurts?” Wendy asked him. “Erza, help wipe the blood off.” 

Erza rushed over, towel in hand. She started to wipe dried blood off of Gray’s skin.

Gray winced at the touch of the towel. “Besides every inch of my body?” he asked bitterly. He scrunched his eyes shut. 

“I mean, more cuts, broken bones,” Wendy explained. 

“Leg,” he puffed. “Pretty...s-sure it’s broke.”

As Erza cleaned his lashes, Wendy made her way down to his legs. She immediately noticed that one was disfigured, and winced as she began to gently cut away the fabric of his pant leg. No way was she putting him in more pain to pull off his pants. 

Wendy’s palm glowed blue. Without warning, she pressed her hand against Gray’s chest. The blue light spread into his body, making his veins glow as it spread all the way down to the tips of his toes and the crown of his head. 

Gray flinched in terror at the contact, but his limbs soon felt numb as Wendy’s magic spread through him. The constant pain slowly ebbed away, and Gray felt more afraid at the sensation. All he knew for the past ten years had been pain. It was almost comforting, a signal that he was alive. Now it was gone.

His breath hitched in his throat, but he focused on Lucy’s hushed voice as she talked to Natsu from across the room. His fingers curled around the sides of the cot, knuckles white from the force of his grip. 

“There. No more pain,” Wendy soothed. “I’m going to fix your leg, now.” She started to inspect the limb.

It was twisted in a horrifically unnatural manner. The bone had healed, and been rebroken several times, and Gray’s leg was twisted unrecognizably as a result. Most of the flesh below the break in his femur was black and withered. Pus oozed from odd cuts in it, and the back of his calf was a magnificent shade of red.

Wendy suppressed the urge to vomit. She doubted even the strongest healing spells could fix this.

“Pretty bad, huh?” Gray managed weakly. His jaw clenched as his shut his eyes. He felt a familiar, cold claw wrapping around his neck. Cold breath crossed his ear as he felt his darkness lean in. He couldn’t trust these people. The darkness’s whispering wouldn’t cease, no matter how much he tried to block it out. 

Although the petite girl blocked out his physical pain, the worst of it remained. He was trapped in a bird cage with dark, rusted bars and no door. He sat alone in the darkness of the cage, desperately trying to stay in a sliver of moonshine that bore through the set of bars. As time passed the sliver grew smaller, and now he felt the darkness closing in. 

“I’ll do my best to fix it,” Wendy said, looking up at Erza for support. “But I...I don’t know…” 

“It’s alright to admit it’s beyond you,” Erza said quietly. “Blue Pegasus is on their way with healers. Just fix what you can.” 

Wendy nodded, swallowing. “Is anything else broken? Or hurt like...like that?” she asked.

“My ribs,” he croaked.

“Oh...oh no,” Wendy said. “I’ll fix those!” She rested her hands on his chest, and more healing magic was sent into Gray. 

Gray stiffened as he felt his ribs snap back into place. He grit his teeth. “Feels weird…”

“But it doesn’t hurt?” Wendy clarified. “Hopefully that makes breathing easier. Is that it? I’ll go and get you some food if there’s nothing else, you look starved.”

For the first time in years, Gray’s eyes brightened. Food?   
Breathing came noticeably easier, so much so that Gray hadn't realized he was having trouble until she healed him. He shut his eyes again, hoping and praying that this wasn't some harsh, horrendous joke his darkness was playing.

Wendy smiled. “I’ll be right back with some soup for both of you,” she assured, rushing cheerfully off to the kitchens with her flying cat soaring behind her, scolding her for using too much magic. 

\--

Lucy looked up at Natsu, sighing in relief. Gray would be alright. Finally, they both were safe.

Natsu offered her a soft grin.

“I’m Lucy,” she said quietly. “Thank you so much. If you hadn’t come, they would’ve killed me by now.”

He nodded. “I'm glad we could save more than one person… Wchat they do to mages is just..despicable.” 

Lucy nodded. “I got turned in for the money,” she muttered. “A citizen caught me.”

“You're kidding! A citizen?” He asked, looking ashen. “I.. I'm sorry. For what happened to you.” 

She shook her head. “It was my own damn fault,” she dismissed. “I’ll be fine. I’m glad you got Gray out. Even if you’d left me, I’d be glad about that.”

Natsu stepped away and grabbed another medical kit. He kneeled besides Lucy’s cot, pulling out a roll of tan bandages. “You said you cut your feet right? Lemme see ‘em,” he insisted. 

“Yeah, but…” She showed him her bloody, shredded feet. “I think there’s still some glass in there.” 

Her soles throbbed with pain, but the initial agony of stepping onto glass shards was something she’d never forget. He hadn’t cared when she cried. He hadn’t cared that knew nothing, just told her to walk across them or he’d bring Gray in. 

And there was no way she’d willingly put him through more torture. 

Natsu took a pair of tweezers and picked at the visible shards of glass. He scowled at the gore, biting his lip. 

Lucy clutched the edge of the mattress, trying not to cry out. She could feel every edge of the glass cutting deeper as Natsu adjusted each shard to get it out. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, but she shamefully wiped them away.

“Damn… These guys were pretty cruel, huh?”

 

Lucy nodded, her throat too choked for her to attempt to speak. 

Once he’d finally all of them, he started to gently wrap her bloody, mangled feet. “I can’t even imagine it… I never really liked Gray when we were kids, I always thought he was annoying as hell. But even I’ll admit that he was stubborn and hard to break,” he whispered, sparing a quick glance over to Gray’s cot. “Seeing him like that is hard.”

“He rarely talked,” Lucy said quietly, trying to keep her feet still and not flinch as he wrapped them. “He seemed...used to it all. But he did his best to help me.” 

Natsu looked at her sadly. “Enough with that,” he sighed. He finished up wrapping both her feet, wiping the blood from his hands with a do-rag. He moved up to sit besides her on the cot. “What else do I have to patch up? You’ve got some bruises, but I’m sure Wendy can fix those up later.”

Lucy looked away from him, staring at her lap shamefully. “My back,” she muttered, something slippery and wrong rising in her gut. She didn’t want anyone to see those wounds, but she didn’t have much of a choice. 

“I couldn’t stop him,” she murmured. “I couldn’t say anything, I didn’t know anything…I’m not in a guild.” 

“Don’t sound so guilty,” Natsu chided. “These people are cruel and scared of things they don’t understand.” He reached for a pair of scissors in the medical kit. “May I…?”

“Uh...yeah. Sure.” Lucy brought her knees up to her chest, careful not to put any weight on her feet. 

Natsu carefully started to cut away at the blood-stained fabric. “Sorry, this might hurt,” he warned as he peeled away the fabric, scowling. He inhaled sharply. Her back was severely mutilated: several whip lashes obstructing her pale skin. He couldn’t even make out an individual lash through the thick mask of dried blood. Natsu had to look away for a moment, swallowing some bile.

“I’m sorry,” Lucy whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. “It’s disgusting, you don’t have to look at it.’ 

“No… No,” he insisted, moving to clean off some of the blood with his do-rag. 

Lucy’s nails dug into her palm, bracing for the pain. The shame was devouring her. She wanted to run away, hide in some hole and never be seen by anyone again. She was hideous now, and she couldn’t change that. 

Natsu tenderly wiped at her back, careful to avoid the wounds as much as he could. Nothing but pure rage occupied his mind. These nobles were absolutely barbaric. How far could their fear have gone for them to nearly whip a young girl to death?

He wanted to say something, but what could he tell her? He met this girl only an hour ago, yet he wanted to protect her. Stranger or not, no mage deserved this treatment and he wanted the guards to pay the price. 

Natsu was being gentle, and Lucy appreciated it greatly. Cleaning the lashes didn’t hurt nearly as much as she’d expected it to.

“Thank you,” she choked, wiping tears off her cheeks. 

A sympathetic frown tugged on his features. “Hey, don't cry,” he soothed awkwardly.

“You're gonna be just fine.”


	5. Chasing Visions of Our Futures

Natsu grabbed a pocket-sized burlap sack. He slid a knife and some jewels into it, stowing it away in his pocket. 

The sun was fresh in the sky, and as far as he knew he was the only one in the guild up and about. 

Natsu spared a glance at the infirmary door. He had seen Lucy so heartbroken over her keys, and he intended on getting them back. If Erza knew about his mission, she'd surely strangle him.

Silently, Natsu slipped from the front door of the guild hall, shutting it behind him. He started off towards the Rumiere prison.

 

* * *

 

 

 

It was a misty, tense morning. Mothers dragged small children rushed to the market, eager to get home and spend the day shut up indoors. With the guards that patrolled the streets, and the “threat” of mages ever looming, no one liked to linger in one place for too long. Especially this early. 

Natsu walked along the main road, keeping amongst the crowds to blend in. Ducking and turning, eventually reaching the large prison he had been only the day before. Luckily, no guards occupied the yard. He snuck up and crawled through the large hole he blasted in the old cobble brick. 

The long, dark corridor was also empty. The cries of the freedom-hungry prisoners were gone, as were the prisoners themselves. Natsu stalked down the hall, walking on the balls of his feet. He lifted his head and sniffed the air, keeping an ear out for any approaching guards. 

Footsteps echoed down the hall, rushed and pounding against the cobblestone. A young guard rounded a corner, turning down the hallway Natsu was in. When she saw Natsu, she let out a cry of panic, raising her spear. 

Natsu stepped back, face cool. He stuck out his hands and grabbed the wood of her spear as she charged, flipping her over his shoulder. Under his palms, the wood crumpled into ash. 

She let out a strangled yell, dropping the spear and scrambling backwards. She turned to flee, clearly terrified.  

Natsu decided to let her escape. He broke into a sprint towards what he assumed was the center of the prison. If Lucy’s keys were anywhere, they  _ had  _ to be in the guard's’ office. 

“W-wait! Where are you going?” the guard called. “You c-can’t run off!”

 

* * *

 

 

Erza stalked down the foyer of the guild. She had no idea where Natsu had run off to, but frankly, she didn't care. 

She continued walking until she reached the infirmary. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, eyes narrowed. The two injured rescuees were still asleep in their cots. The blonde had her eyes shut, peacefully sleeping on her side while Gray twisted and turned, sheets imprisoning his legs. Erza frowned. She walked over to Lucy’s cot, and shook the girl’s shoulder harshly.

“Wake up,” she commanded, careful to keep her voice quiet. “I've got to ask you some questions.” 

Erza did not trust this girl. If Natsu hadn't been there, she would've left her in that cell without a second thought. But thanks to his foolish actions, they had a stranger sleeping in their guild hall.

Lucy flinched, her head turning and her mouth stretching into a massive yawn. She groaned at the light, her eyes half open as she looked up at Erza. “Questions?” she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes with the flat of her palm. “A-alright...uh...what do you need?” 

She loomed over Lucy, eyes dark and narrowed. “Who are you? Really,” Erza insisted. “Everything; name, residence… How’d you end up in that prison?” 

Lucy paled. “Er...I’m Lucy. I ran away from home, and some idiot turned me in.” 

“Why’d you run from home?” Erza grumbled. 

“My dad didn’t like magic,” Lucy said, pushing herself to sit up. “I wanted to take care of my mom’s keys.”

“Ah, that’s right,” Erza said, walking back to the foot of Lucy’s cot. “You’re a celestial mage… Who is your father?” 

“Uh...does it matter?” she asked nervously. “I doubt you’d know him.”

“It matters!” Erza snapped, fists tightening. “I’m very close to exiling you from the guild hall, but I’m trying to be considerate of Natsu. Tell me what I want to know or I won’t think twice to send you back to your home, or better yet, that prison.” 

Lucy’s face fell. She stared at Erza, unsure what to even say. 

“Exile?” she said quietly. “Why? Did I do something wrong? I didn’t mean to impose…” 

“I don’t know you,” she put simply. “And unless you tell me everything, I cannot trust you around my people.”

“What is there to know?” she asked anxiously. 

“Who is your father? What family are you from?” she snapped.

“Heart…” she mumbled, her cheeks flushing with heat. “Heart. We are the Hearts.”

Erza's face tightened. “Heart… You're lying. It's…” She nearly recoiled. “You're a Heartfilia, aren't you?”

Lucy’s face went white. She stared at Erza with wide, terrified eyes. “It’s not what you think.”

Erza contained an enraged shriek. “A Heartfilia?” she gasped, eyes wide. “Who do you think you are, nestling besides  _ mages _ ?!”

“I’m not like my father!” she snapped. “I  _ hate  _ him! I ran away from home so I’d never have to see him again! If he knew I had celestial keys, or was a mage, I’m sure he’d kill me himself! I am not his daughter!” 

“How can I believe you?” Erza snarled, lowering her face dangerously close to Lucy’s. “I have no reason to think you wouldn’t turn around and turn us in to your father.”

“I was  _ tortured _ !” Lucy snapped back. “Do you think they would have harmed me if I was their spy?” 

Erza grit her teeth. She entangled her fingers in Lucy’s golden locks and yanked them up with enough force to lift Lucy slightly off the mattress. “If I find you acting suspicious in  _ any _ way, your little ass will be back in that prison. Understood?”

Lucy nodded, biting down so she wouldn’t wince when Erza yanked her hair. 

A frightened shout sounded from the cot neighboring Lucy’s. Gray, now clawing to sit up with a cringe, looked around with panic. “Wha- What?” he sputtered.

Lucy’s face fell. “Oh no, Gray,” she cried. She moved to get out of bed, but a wave of pain from her back stopped her in her tracks. “I’m so sorry, Gray, it’s alright.”

He glanced over at the two of them momentarily, eyes wide. He drew his functional knee closer to himself, drawing a shaky breath.    
  
“Shit,” Erza whispered, dropping Lucy and going over to Gray’s cot. 

“It’s alright!” Lucy called, smiling at him from her cot. “Gray, don’t worry!” 

Erza watched him with a frown. She knew she wouldn’t provide much comfort. She reluctantly turned to Lucy. “You fix this. I’ll deal with you later,” she said in a hushed tone, storming out.  

Lucy didn’t want to further damage her feet. She pushed herself to the edge of her bed. “Gray, look at me. Deep breaths. You’re safe now.” 

He kept his gaze glued to his kneecaps. His shoulders slumped forward as his breathing evened out. “Y-Yeah,” he whispered hoarsely. 

“I’m sorry we were screaming,” Lucy said. 

“It’s okay,” he insisted, looking over at her. “I’m fine…”

Lucy looked down at her lap. She was  _ screwed. _ Now, there was no way she’d be allowed to stay. Her throat grew painfully tight, and she struggled not to cry. 

Why did her father have to ruin everything?    
  


 

* * *

 

Natsu rushed around a corner, keeping an ear open for any other nearby guards. He approached what looked to be the warden’s office and jostled at the handle. Finding it locked, Natsu shoved it down, the brass handle breaking off. He pushed the door open.

The office was empty. Papers littered an old, beautiful wooden desk. An intricate chair with a needle-pointed seat and armrests sat behind it, cold tea in a delicate porcelain cup.    
Natsu started to rifle through the papers on the desk. They were records for mostly random inmates, but as he shifted through them, he picked up two pieces of parchment with familiar names on them. 

Heartfilia, Lucy. 

  
Fullbuster, Gray. 

His eyes narrowed as he took a quick pass through the parchment’s content. He grit his teeth so hard he felt like they nearly chipped. He put the papers back on the desk, hands heating up in anger. Gray’s file under his palm lit up at the spark, the papers around it also erupted into flame.

Natsu stepped back in surprise, extinguishing the flame from his palm. He bit his bottom lip. “Oops,” he muttered to himself, leaving the top of the desk to burn and he started to file through the drawers in search of Lucy’s keys.

In an upper drawer of the desk, Natsu found the keyring amongst several other confiscated items. As he picked up the keys, he caught a glimpse of something silver at the bottom of the drawer. He rummaged through, finally reaching the item.

It was a dusty chain with a cross-like sword pendant. At the middle of the cross was a bright blue gem. Natsu recognized the necklace. Gray had worn it all the time when they were little. But why had they taken it from him? As far as Natsu knew, it was just a necklace, with no magic properties.

“Hey!” 

The guard from earlier stood in the doorway, panting. She stared at the burning desk and papers in horror. 

“I’m going to be in trouble for that, you know! You…” She took a deep breath. “You’re the one who freed those two, yesterday!”

“And?” Natsu asked, stuffing the keys and necklace in his pocket before turning to glare at the guard. “I'll be leaving now.”

“What?! Like hell you are!” she cried, “No way! You need to be locked up!” 

Natsu lit his palm with a red flame and shot it her way, walking to the doorway.

She dodged, but ran towards him angrily. “I just got this job! Look, the stuff about mages being demons is shit, alright? But I need to keep it! So stop resisting!” 

Natsu scoffed, keeping her away. “You won't lose your job. You never saw me, okay?” he joked, quickly sliding past her.

“Ugh!” she roared as he left.  

Natsu smirked and ran down the hall back towards the large hole he entered from. He patted the pocket that held Lucy’s keys and Gray’s necklace.

 

* * *

 

Natsu came back to the guild hall. He stepped through the front doors into the foyer, running a hand through his hair. Erza was here… Good. He stepped towards the infirmary door, cautiously pushing it open. He quickly noted that Gray was awake, head tucked down by his knees, muttering.

He frowned and looked over at Lucy. Cautiously pulling out the keys, he stepped up besides her cot. “Got you a present,” he called with a soft grin. 

Lucy looked up at Natsu, confused. Then she saw her keys. Her face lit up. 

“Oh my god!” she cried, reaching for them. Her eyes shined bright with tears. “Oh my god...you got them!”

Natsu handed them to her. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Just don't tell Erza…”

“Thank you,” she gasped, holding them against her chest contently. “I’ll never be able to repay you for this…”

Natsu just shrugged. “It wasn't a big deal…” He pulled out Gray’s necklace, turning the scratched pendant between his fingers.

“It is!” she insisted. “You saved my best friends.” 

Natsu smiled and sat at the edge of her cot. “Glad I could help.”

“I’ll probably have to go, though,” she sighed. “Erza  _ hates  _ me...for good reason.”

He looked uneasy. “What  _ is _ that reason, then?” he inquired, eyebrows raised. 

“I’m a Heartfilia,” she said quietly, her chest heavy with shame. 

Natsu shot up, stumbling away from the cot. A mixture of fear and repressed hatred shot across his face. “You're a...you're a Heartfilia?” 

“I ran away!” she snapped. “I hate my father, I hate that name! He doesn’t know I’m a mage and he never will! If he knew, he’d kill me himself.”

“You're telling the truth,” he murmured. “I know…but Erza doesn't…” He lowered his gaze. “Look, I believe you, but you have to understand where Erza comes from. We've had nothing but cruelty from your family.” 

“I know. Which is why I’ll leave,” she said. “I shouldn’t be here. As soon as I can walk, I’ll get out. You’ve already shown me enough kindness...I’m sure Erza will kill me if I stay.”

Natsu frowned. “But… Maybe I can try talking to her,” he insisted. “You can't just...leave. You'll get caught.”

“That’s my problem,” she dismissed. “I don’t deserve to be here. If I get caught and die, then so be it.”  She pushed herself up in bed painfully. “Gah...okay. My keys.” She held them out to Natsu. “I’m sure you know another Celestial Wizard. Make sure they’re safe.”

“What? No! You're  _ staying  _ with them and you're staying here,” he insisted, backing up.

The keyring glimmered and a gold shimmer shone besides Natsu. He jumped in surprise as a tall, orange-haired man in a suit appeared. “Lucy! What the hell are you doing?” he snapped.

Gray whimpered and flinched from the other side of the room. 

“You can't just give us up!” Leo snapped, facing her.

“Who are you?” Natsu asked, forehead scrunched. “Where...did you come from?”

“I don’t deserve to be here, Leo,” Lucy insisted, ignoring Natsu. “I can’t escape that name. You and the others need a mage who can take care of you. And that isn’t me.” Her hands were shaking.

“Princess! Stop this!” Leo insisted, sitting in front of her on the cot. He took her hands. “You're our only Mage. If we have to fight for you, we’ll fight. That's what we are here for.” 

He turned and sneered over at Natsu. He let Lucy’s hands go and stood, staring at him dauntingly. 

“Are  _ you _ the only banishing Lucy? She is innocent, I tell you!” 

“Whoa, hey, relax,” Natsu insisted, throwing his hands up. “I am not doing anything!”

“No, this is my choice,” Lucy snapped at Leo. “No one’s ever going to trust me. I ran away to help you guys. If I can find you a good mage that can keep you safe, then yes, I’m going to give you up. Don’t you understand? I don’t care what happens to me.”

“Well, I do. And I'm not gonna let that happen-!” Leo snapped.

“What's going on?” Erza called from the hall as she came in the infirmary. “Who are you?”

She looked even more angry than when she had been there earlier. “Natsu! You.. You got the keys?” she snapped.

Leo turned to the red-headed woman, eyes narrowed. “Who are  _ you?”  _

Erza’s eyes darkened. “I'm the  _ guild master,” _ she said, voice low. “And you and your Mage are not welcome here.”

“Erza, you're jumping to conclusions. I really think Lucy is telling us the truth-”

“Natsu, enough!” Erza snapped, stepping forward.

“Stop it!” Gray shouted, surprising everyone standing around Lucy’s cot.

Everyone turned and stared at Gray.

“I’m sorry,” Lucy said immediately. “We shouldn’t have shouted. Natsu, Erza’s right. I’ll go.” 

Natsu’s eyebrows drew together. He was mad at Erza for kicking this girl out onto the streets, even after they had saved her life. She was still in no condition to walk, and Natsu doubted she would be any time soon. There was no harm in her staying. 

When they were talking, he could nearly smell the fear seeping from her. She was telling the truth, he knew, but how could he get Erza to believe them? 

“Erza,” he began, lowering his voice. “I know you don’t trust her, but… I do. I believe that she is telling us the truth. Just… Let her stay. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.”   


Erza looked over at Natsu, a dangerous expression in her face. “And if she sells out all of us to her family?” 

“She won't. She'll be under my watch until we deem her trustworthy,” he assured her.

“Fine. Until she’s well enough to leave.”

“Thank you,” Lucy said, “Thank you so much.” 

Natsu smiled gently. “Thanks, Erza,” he said. 

Erza just sent him an annoyed glance. She turned her gaze to Leo. “You can go now, Spirit.”

Lucy nodded at him. “Yeah, yeah. You can go.”

Reluctantly, Leo disappeared in the same shimmer of gold he had appeared in.

Natsu let out a gentle sigh of relief. He’d bought Lucy some time, and even if Erza decided to banish her, at least she would have a fighting chance.

Gray’s ears rung from all the noise and commotion. He sat up in his cot, holding his head in his hands protectively. The pain was back, stronger than before. He felt his left leg tingle, and the skin was numb when he tried to poke at it. 

“Gray, are you alright?” Lucy called worriedly as Erza stalked away.

“M’ okay,” he piped, head still hidden in his hands.

“Hey... Gray?” Natsu called, cautiously walking over to the latter’s cot. He held Gray’s necklace tightly in his hand. “I found something I think belongs to you.” 

The boy with dusted rose hair outstretched his hand and presented the pendant and chain to Gray. After a few seconds, Gray cautiously lifted his head. His onyx orbs locked in on the necklace for a moment before widening in surprise. “My…”

Gray reached out and took the necklace, fingers shaking. “My necklace,” he breathed, feeling the center gem under his thumb. 

Natsu smiled and glanced over at Lucy.

“Thank you,” Lucy whispered. “Thank you for being so kind.” 

“It's the least I can do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So sorry this took a while, we got busy! It's pretty long though! Thanks for all the love, guys! <3 <3


	6. We'll Reveal the Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things calm down...

Chapter 6   
We’ll Reveal The Truth

“Lamia Scale’s here!” Wendy called, running into the main room of the guild hall. Lucy was sitting on the sofa. She’d quickly grown bored of the infirmary, and had begged Natsu to help her get out. He’d offered to carry her around the guild hall, but she kept crying out in pain every time he so much as twitched, so she ended up being ditched on the sofa. 

She didn’t mind much, though. 

“Lamia Scale?” Natsu called, looking dejected. “Those guys are jerks, why did we call them here again?” 

Erza walked up behind him and smacked him upside the head. “Enough. I called them in because we need their help. Plus, there is an ice Mage. I think he might be able to help Gray.”

Gray sat in the infirmary, alone. He feverishly turned the cross-sword pendant between his fingers. Before his capture, Gray had worn the necklace every day for as long as he could remember. He never took it off, and when he was captured, he had never felt more naked.

He was grateful that Natsu brought it back to him, and also stunned that the fire Mage remembered the necklace was his.

Weakly smiling to himself, Gray hooked the necklace around his neck and settled down on to the bed, enjoying the peace and quiet.

The front door of the guilt hall opened, and a collection of Lamia scale Mages flooded into the foyer. 

“Chelia!” Wendy cried, running up to greet her friend. Erza rushed up to talk to them as well. 

“Wow…” Lucy said as she watched them. “How many guilds are there?”

“Lots. Scattered all over the country,” Natsu answered. “A lot of them are very small. Fairy Tail is one of the larger known ones.”

“Wow…” Lucy said in wonder. “And no one knows…” 

Natsu visibly fought a grin. “We’re pretty sneaky if I do say so myself,” he said in praise. “We’ve got a real rich history too. The archives probably tell the whole story.”

“Just how old is Fairy Tail?” Lucy piped. 

“I’ve got no clue,” he said, fingers nervously tugging at his muffler. “I’ve never gone through that book cluttered room.”

“Do you think you could show me, Natsu? I...wanna know more about this place.”

“Of course,” Natsu grinned.

A tan man with snowy hair and boots made his way through the crowd. His face held a chiseled scowl. “Scarlet,” he regarded as the woman approached him.

“Vastia,” she acknowledged, nodding her head. “I assume you received my message…”

“Yes,” he said. “An ice-Mage, huh? There aren't very much around nowadays.”

“All I need is for you to check on him. His magic was concealed for nearly a decade, but I'm no ice magic expert.” 

“Very well. Where is he, then?” the tall man inquired, following Erza as she lead him towards the infirmary, away from the crowd of mingling guild members.  
“In here,” she directed, shutting the door as Vastia stepped in behind her. “Gray? Are you awake?” She craned her neck to look over at Gray’s cot, his back facing them.

Vastia’s face crinkled. “You said...Gray?” His eyes widened.

Erza glanced back at the white-haired Mage, brow furrowed. “What’s the problem, Vastia?” she growled.

Ignoring her threatening tone, he shoved her aside, moving towards Gray’s cot, eyes wide. “Gray…”

“Careful!” Erza called. “He gets nervous-”

 

But Lyon didn’t care. His eyes were wide, desparate. He grasped Gray’s pale, cold hand just as Gray turned to see who was there. Gray let out a startled cry at the touch, jerking away from Lyon. 

“I told you,” Erza huffed. 

“Gray, Gray…” Lyon muttered, staring down at his friend. “Don’t you remember me?”

Gray stared up at Lyon, his eyes wide with distrust. He recognized the man’s face...but that didn’t mean he was a friend. He yanked his hand out of the man’s, looking over at the red-head. At least she hadn’t tried to hurt him yet. 

“Who?” he mumbled, looking around the room. Lucy wasn’t there, her bed was empty. Had they killed her? 

The darkness, a constant buzzing in the back of his head, was positive they had. Images of her broken body flashed through his mind, but as he looked at the scarlet haired woman, as he remembered the tenderness these people had shown, the images faded. 

“This is Lyon,” Erza said, stepping up to Gray’s bedside. “He’s a friend, he’s an ice mage as well.” 

Lyon frowned as he looked at Gray. “We trained together, Gray. Don’t you remember?” 

The shadow embedded in his skeleton forced him to lean away from the two towering over him. It forced panic up his throat as he started to feel boxed in, trapped. He swallowed a lump of dread with difficulty, struggling to focus on what the other ice mage was asking him. He shook his head, fearful eyes sunken. 

“Step back from the bed a little,” Erza whispered to Lyon, pulling him back a bit as she took a step herself.

Lyon watched the other male. Horror struck his gut. His never saw his fellow trainee as a vulnerable person, despite knowing him at such a young age. Seeing him now, legs tangled in sheets, bandaged, eyes dark and void of all feeling but fear disturbed Lyon to a core.

“Gray,” he said again, keeping his voice level. “You know me. I.. When we were little, we trained in the mountains together-”

“No,” the raven-haired mage gasped suddenly, cutting Lyon off. 

Lyon was dead. Ur was dead. Everyone he had known before that cold, dark cellar was dead. Doubt drilled it into his head. There was nothing in the world outside of that cell where he was forced to grow up. Death’s hand still rested on his shoulder, assuring him that this wasn’t real. His mind wanted to trick him again, as it had before. Gray fought the urge to thrash, scream, and kick. He nervously rolled his shoulders in attempt to gesture Death’s hands away, but he only tightened his grip. 

He grabbed his shoulders, hugging himself. Lyon’s dead. They’re dead, the darkness continued to whisper in Gray’s ear. The more he looked up at his childhood friend, the more rotten his skin looked, the more dead his eyes were. Gray ducked his head down, scrunching his eyes shut.

Lyon’s breath passed shakily. “What happened to you?” 

“He was in prison,” Erza answered. “For a long time, years. It’s...messed him up a bit. We’ve healed most of his physical injuries, though his leg is too bad for Wendy to handle alone.” 

Lyon suppressed the urge to approach Gray again. His face hardened. 

“I’m going to kill them,” he muttered. “Those bastards...I’m going to kill every last one of those stupid royalists!” 

“Aren’t we all,” Erza sighed, turning away from Gray. “Anyway...what about his magic? Do you think he’s able to use it?” 

Lyon nodded. “I’m sure he can. He’s just been afraid to use it for a very long time.” 

“I’m sure he’ll gain his confidence back in time,” Erza said. “Make yourself at home, I’m going to talk with Chelia and Wendy about his leg.” 

Lyon nodded, turning over and looking down at Gray. He didn’t want to approach him too quickly, and risk scaring him again. Erza’s footsteps eventually faded as she walked down the hallway.

Onyx eyes glanced up at Lyon. The action was timid as Gray was afraid to see Lyon’s rotting face, but he was immediately relieved as his tan skin was smooth and   
eyes lively. His shaking subsided. 

Lyon smiled. “Hello, Gray,” he said quietly. “I’ve missed you.”

Gray licked his lips. “How are...you here?”

“I came to see you,” Lyon said. “To see if your magic still works.” He remained where he was, nervous to approach Gray. The last thing he wanted was to upset the poor ice mage any further. 

“Magic…?” Gray looked down at his hands. His wrists were still lightly bruised and irritated from the covers he had on his hands for ten years. His nails were long, and his palms were calloused. “I’m not…” He swallowed a lump. “Not allowed.”

“You are now,” Lyon said softly. “Do you still remember how to use it?”

Still staring down at his hands, Gray clenched one to make a fist. “I think...I don’t k-know.”

“That’s alright,” Lyon soothed. “I’m so sorry....about everything that happened to you, Gray.”

He tensed up. Lies. He looked away, taking a shaky breath. “I miss it… I miss my magic.”

“Why don’t you try to use it?” Lyon asked, stepping closer to the bed. He held out his hand. The room became colder, and ice began to form just above Lyon’s palm. The crystals expanded to form a small sphere, hovering a centimeter above Lyon’s skin. 

“See? I know you remember how,” Lyon said. “You just have to concentrate.” 

Mouth dry, Gray eagerly sat up, nearly panting. His hands trembled as he raised one to mimic Lyon’s movements. He looked at the ice sphere before glancing back down at his hand. He duly remembered the way his magic felt through the darkness that shrouded his memory and sanity. He focused, staring at his hand and pleading for something to conjure.

“You can do it,” Lyon encouraged, sitting down on the edge of Gray’s bed. “I know you can, Gray.”

The latter tensed, staring at where Lyon sat. Shakily drawing in a sharp breath, Gray clenched his fist and concentrated. The temperature dropped, causing Lyon to stand up and take few steps away from Gray’s bedside.

Gray felt bile stirring in his gut as his hand iced over. The thin layer of the blue element trailed up his arm, freezing his bicep and shoulder. He yelped in surprise, scrambling back in a futile attempt to escape. His sides burned at the sudden action, and his body froze up in fear and pain. Luckily, the ice stopped at his neck. 

“Wha…” he panted, staring down at his frozen hand and forearm. 

Lyon was smiling, his arms crossed. 

“Guess you can use your magic,” he said. “It’ll dissipate, just relax, Gray.”

“Too much,” he murmured in a blind panic, trying to swipe it off. “They-They’ll find out..”

“You are not going to be punished,” Lyon said in a calm, steady voice. “Gray, I promise you. You are out of that horrible place. Those...royals will never harm you again.”

“But…” Gray traced his fingers over the ice covering his arm, eyes narrowed. He was bewildered that he didn’t feel cold, despite how cold he was in the dark, dingy cell. 

“I promise,” Lyon assured, stepping closer to the bed again now that he was used to the cold. “They will not harm you again.” 

Gray looked up at Lyon, eyes dark, sunken, and baggy. Exhaustion weighed down on his chest from the sudden burst of magic. He slumped against the pillows, and his bangs shrouded his eyes. 

“You’ve done well,” Lyon praised, smiling as if his insides weren’t collapsing at the sight of Gray. It was horrifying seeing his brother this way; helpless, skittish, and weak. After everything they’d been through, all the challenges and battles, seeing him lifeless like this taking a toll on Lyon’s spirit. What hell had Gray suffered? 

\---

Natsu held Lucy securely in his arms as he made his way down the hall and into the library. She stared at the seemingly endless maze of hallways, some pitch-black, some too full of junk to get through, others wide and ornately decorated, while others were narrow and winding. Natsu rushed through the halls expertly, occasionally glancing down at Lucy to make sure she was alright. 

Eventually, they arrived at two large, polished oak doors. He pushed them open and carried Lucy into a surprisingly huge room, full of books. 

Lucy’s eyes widened in joy. “Really?” she gasped, adjusting herself so she could see better. “Are these all about mage history?” 

“Most of ‘em,” Natsu replied. “Some are about other stuff. This is one of the only magic archives that exists. There used to be more, before the stupid nobles started burning books.” 

Lucy clutched Natsu’s shirt tightly, looking around at all the ancient tomes, some fat, some tall, most written in ancient runes. 

“Thank you for showing me this place,” she said with a sigh as Natsu set her down in an old armchair. “It’s amazing. I knew mage history existed somewhere...how could it not?”

Natsu scratched the back of his head. “Can’t believe you actually like this place...I never come in here unless Erza makes me. What’s a bunch of paper worth, anyway?”

“Are you joking?” she gaped. “All this paper holds so much history! Stories of our magical ancestors. I mean, are you telling me that you aren’t curious?” 

His tan face was heated, cheeks flushed. “Sure, whatever, it sounds interesting… But reading all of that can’t be fun.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “Now you’re telling me you don’t like to read? You’re missing out, Natsu.”

“I..I just don’t understand it, I suppose,” he murmured shyly. “I never…”

Her expression softened. “You don’t understand it..? Oh...you don’t know how to, do you?” 

Natsu flushed red. “It’s not that easy, okay? There’s all sorts of weird symbols...and they all connect weird...and it’s time consuming! I’ve got way more important stuff to do than learn to read!” 

“I forgot, it’s sort of an upper class thing,” she murmured. “If you’d like, I could teach you.” 

“Nah, nah, no way,” Natsu said. “Only stuck-up people know how to read.” 

Lucy glared at him. He paled, and looked down at his lap. “I mean... I don’t have the time.” 

“Well, if you ever get the time,” she said, eyeing him suspiciously. “I’d love to teach you.” 

Natsu looked over at the shelves. “Which ones do you wanna read?” he asked. “Cause maybe...you could read to me. You know, sometime.” 

Lucy’s eyes brightened. “I’d love to,” she said, sitting up in the armchair. “It’d give me something useful to do around here. What kinds of stories do you like?” 

He leaned back against a shelf. “Erm… I dunno. Action stories are pretty cool!” His emerald eyes scrunched in joy. “I remember...Igneel used to tell me all kinds of epic stories like that.”

“Igneel?” She echoed, darting her gaze to him. “Who’s Igneel?”

The brightness in his eyes diminished. His words came out slowly. “He was my… dad, I guess.”

Lucy understood. “Oh. Oh no, I’m sorry. It seems like he was great! I don’t know if I’ll be able to read you a story as good as the ones he’s told you, but I can certainly try.” She offered Natsu a large, pearly grin.

Natsu stifled a smile in return. Despite the sore memory of his father tugging at his thoughts, Lucy made him feel warm. She hadn’t teased him about being illiterate, like some others had.   
He hoped that Erza wouldn’t kick her out of the guild hall. He knew their position was too dire to interfere with a Heartfilia, but she was more than a name. She became entranced by the culture of the Fairy Tail mages. She was grateful to him. She didn’t mean them any harm. If only he could get Erza to see it.

Lucy had taken his silence as an agreement and started to scan over the shelves. She looked for something interesting in the archives, squinting at some of the worn book spines. 

“There,” she whispered, pointing to an archive on the third shelf. “Do you mind handing me that, Natsu? Grey book, black spine…”

The fire mage nodded and reached up, grabbing the book. His grip was tight, putting a strain on the fragile binding. 

“Careful!” she scolded. “These books are very fragile and old.. The binding could break”

He smiled sheepishly and handed her the archive. “Sorry.”

Lucy gave him an apologetic smile and turned the book over in her hands. The cover was coarse and dusty under her palm. She drew her hand back dirty. The spine was threaded weakly, the aged fabric and string worn with time. Carefully, she turned over the cover and ran her fingers along the wrinkled parchment. She drew in a deep breath, lifting the book closer to her face. There was nothing better than the smell of an old book.

“It’s crazy how old it is,” she noted as she continued to flip through the pages of parchment before reaching the beginning of the story. “This is some kind of...magic history. A documentation of a battle.”

“What does it say…?” Natsu pried, dragging another aged arm-chair up besides her and lazily plopping down into it. 

“It’s about dragons,” Lucy said, scanning the page. “An ancient battle...between humans and dragons.” She propped the book up on her lap, starting to read. 

“The dragons attacked the human encampments at dawn. The humans were unprepared, and they lost many. But the mages fought back. With sacrifice, and hours of grueling battle, the mages had managed to succeed, where the rest of humanity had failed. The dragons were driven back, and the kingdom of Fiore lived to fight another day,” Lucy recited. Anger surged inside of her. This was their history. Her history. And it was being kept from them. 

“How can they pretend this never happened?” Lucy snarled, suddenly livid. “Keeping this from the public...this is worse than anything they did to me. This is worse than hunting down mages...they’re rewriting history! They’re erasing the parts that don’t suit them! This is tyranny!” 

Natsu looked down at her, clearly confused. “Why’s that...a crime, again?” he asked. “I mean, it sucks. But why’re you so mad about it?” 

“Because, they’re destroying our heritage,” Lucy responded. “They’re erasing every good thing mages ever did. They’re destroying knowledge, they’re destroying history! It’s the greatest sin.” 

“Worse than torturing people?” Natsu asked skeptically. 

“It hurts me more than anything they did,” Lucy replied. “It’s...something you’d understand if you...if you liked books as much as I do, I suppose.” 

Natsu let out a huff. “I guess it is a reading thing, huh?” 

“Yeah, it’s a reading thing,” she replied, closing the book very slowly. “You know, if you want, I really would love to teach you. I’ve got nothing better to do, anyways.” 

Natsu looked embarrassed. “Uh...if you wanna waste your time with that,” he huffed. “You’re more than welcome to.” 

Lucy brightened, sitting up in the armchair. “Really? That’s awesome!” she chirped. Maybe she could do something useful. “You won’t regret it, promise.” 

\---  
Wendy led Chelia into the infirmary. She knew Gray’s situation looked bleak. His leg was in horrific condition; she doubted there was much they could do to heal it, even with both of their magic. She hoped Chelia had some new ideas. There had to be some way to help him. 

“He’s over here,” she whispered to Chelia, taking the girl’s wrist and walking her over to a cot with a blanketed bundle on it. A tuft of midnight blue hair popped out from underneath the mound of blankets on the cot. 

Carefully, she pulled the blanket down. Luckily, the ice mage was asleep, and he did not stir. She peeled the blanket off of him, discarding it onto the floor so Chelia could have a better look. His pant-leg was still cut away, exposing the pussy, blackened, wounded limb. She had meant to ask someone to get him some shorts, but she had forgotten. 

Chelia inhaled sharply, her stomach churning at the sight. “That’s….awful.” Her gloved hands hovered over Gray’s leg as she inspected it. “How...Who could do something like this?” she whimpered. 

“I don’t know,” Wendy murmured. “I don’t know what to do for it.” 

“We’re going to have to take it off,” Chelia replied. “It’s not even alive anymore, Wendy. See all the dead tissue?” She very lightly grazed a large section of black flesh. “I doubt he can even feel it, anymore.” 

“So there’s nothing we can do to save it?” Wendy asked, looking down at Gray’s face. Even in sleep, he still looked stressed, his brow furrowed and his body clenched up tight, as if to protect himself from some nonexistent evil. He’d suffered so much already. 

Chelia looked up at Gray’s face as well, and then down at the floor, her hands by her sides.

“I’m sorry, Wendy. There’s no leg left to save.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you guys for reading our story! Pleeeeeaaaaseeee leave comments and kudos! Comments are worth over 100 kudos to us, and they keep us writing. <3


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